Town Of Ston – Places to visit on Pelješac Croatia

Ston, Croatia is medieval town located in Mali Ston bay at the entrance of the Pelješac peninsula.

Ston, Croatia is a town with rich history which dates back in early fourteenth century when it was part of Dubrovnik Republic.

Places to visit in Ston Croatia

In the year 1358 nobility of Dubrovnik decided to built monumental defensive system today known as “Stone Walls”, which was the largest fortification and urban achievements in Europe at the time.

Ston Walls with its length of 5.5 kilometers are even today a largest defensive walls in Europe.

As soon as you visit Ston you can feel medieval character of this lovely town, with its stone narrow streets, old noble houses and many other traces of ancient times.

Beside historical significance Ston will seize you heart with its well preserved and clean environment and well known gastronomic offer.

Ston Saltworks

Ston is also known as “Town Of Salt” due to oldest active saltworks in the world.

Saltworks of Ston on Pelješac peninsula remained consistent with to old traditional and natural technology of salt production even today.

In the area of Mali Ston bay there is several smaller settlements: Hodilje, Mali Ston, Luka and Duba which due its clean and well preserved nature become famous for its mussel and oysters farm.

Oysters has been known as natural aphrodisiac what makes this area world-famous.

In the immediate vicinity Of Ston you can visit Prapratno Bay – amazingly picturesque surroundings with clean sandy beaches, hundreds of years old olive trees and vineyards.

Area of Pelješac peninsula has been known for tradition and production of high quality red vines since Roman times.

In this area are some of the best places for camping. In Stone Bay there is two smaller towns Kobas and Broce which are due to being sheltered from strong winds has been well known among boaters.

Ston complex of defensive walls

Walls of Ston dates back in 1358 when Dubrovnik republic acquired Pelješac and nobility decided to built defensive fortification which was one of the largest achievement of urban architecture in Europe at that time.

Leaders of Dubrovnik republic invested huge amounts of money and hired local stone masters from Dalmatia Juraj Dalmatinac and Paskoje Miličević.

Fortification of Stone, Croatia was completely finished at the end of 15-th century.

In first 30 years walls were built from one one side of entrance on Pelješac to the other with two small towns on its end, Ston on north side and Mali Ston on southern parts of defensive fortification.

Double row of defensive walls were built across highland terrain and were protected with 40 turrets and 5 forts.

Main fort in complex was Bartolomija at highest point of hill which was named after St. Bartholomew protector of arms.

Defensive walls surrounding Mali Ston on north side with Koruna tower which is made of four smaller crown shaped towers.

Larger and more important complex can be found in Ston which have same geometry of pentagon around its saltpans with similar pattern in town and surrounding area.

Ston is surrounded with 1 km long wall together with half-rounded tower Podzvizd in middle.

In past times this part of Ston Wall also had doubled walls with ditches which were enclosing palisides to the saltpans aross bay.

Defensive complex was ending right in front of the town where Ston harbor was protected with “Veliki Kastilo” large tower which was crucial spot of this fortification complex.

You can visit Ston Walls during working hours:

• 08.00 – 18.30 h (1. april – 31. May)
• 08.00 – 19.30 h (1. June – 31. July)
• 08.00 – 18.30 h (1. August – 30. September)
• 08.00 – 17.30 h (1. October – 31.October)
• 10.00 – 15.00 h (1. November – 31. March)

Admission fee for individuals is 30 kn, groups and agency 20 kn and for students and those under 18 is 20kn.

Saltworks of Ston Croatia

Saltworks of Ston are very valuable monument of econimic life of Dubrovnik Republic which had important position in trade and transportation during Middle Ages.

Ragusa which was other name for this republic owed a big share of its wealth and prosperity to the trade and production of in this important foodstuff.

Saltworks of Ston are still been exploited in old traditional way of making salt, by visiting them you can be witness to the superb continuity of human work under the best of environmental conditions.

You can visit them each day during the summer season saltworks is open from 07:00 to 19:00 and admission fee for individual people is 15kn per person (around 2 euros).

Oysters farms in Mali Ston bay

Mariculture on Dalmatian coast dates back in Roman times when was first time primitive oyster farms were mentioned by Roman chroniclers.

There are written documents of Ragusa republic from 17th century which providing details on collection and trade of oysters describing procedure for getting concessions, benefits for farmer and prices of oysters from that time.

Oysters farms from Mali Ston area are based on two species: European Flat oyster, Ostrea Edulis and the mussel.

Productions of oysters begins with collection of wild spat then afetr some time young oysters are attached and hung on the ropes in the way particular only for this area.

Best time to taste oysters from this area is in March and gastro experts claiming that they are best served fresh from sea with a few drops of lemon juice.

Taste famous red wines from Pelješac vineyards

Vineyards with carefully chosen and position are source of high quality wines from this area. Sandy soil and maximum of sun light are main preconditions for getting quality grapes with very high level of sugar.

Hundred years old tradition of making high quality red wines in oak barrels is also one of the main features of this area.

Take a tour on old Napoleon Roads on pelješac

Napoleon roads stretching from Ston on notrh part all way to the Orebic and Viganj on the south of Peljesac peninsula. Routes of Feench army roadway on the eastern coast of Adriatic are 61 kilometers long.

Napoleon roads on Peljesac are built in routes where all larger settlements were connected.

French route on Pelješac peninsula is one of the rare remaining witnesses of period of Ragusa Republic.

Routes of this road from strategic reasons are usually located on high and difficult to access parts of peninsula, intersecting Pelješac.

From them you can get a completely different perspective and become aware of beauty of this area.

How To Reach Ston, Croatia ?

By Bus Line – is quite easy to reach not matter if you arriving from north or south.

There are regular bus lines from Split and Dubrovnik which driver every full hour.

In case that you arriving from Split dont forgot that you will pass through state border in Neum, as alternative to this we recommend you to take a car ferry line to Trpanj on Pelješac.

By Ferry

– as already mentioned there is regular ferry line from Split ferry port and Dubrovnik but also you can use ferry line from Ploce – Trpanj as alternative to aviod crossing state border in Neum.

Ferry drives from Ploce in 11:00, , 17:15, 19:30 and from Trpanj to Ploče 12:00, 14:15 and 20:45.

By Plane

– closest airports are located in Split and Dubrovnik from there you can use regular bus line or car rental option after you have two option to take coast path trough Neum or to take car ferry line from Ploče to Trpanj.